Chapter Two: Back from No-Return
"I can't believe she's still having the launch after what happened, even earlier than it was supposed to be held. She's gone mental again."
Irma huffed and puffed but it was what it was. Cornelia's makeup line was being launched today with a big event that she had been getting ready for with months. Her sponsors who had contacted her and suggested this collab in the first place, had demanded an earlier date and she had been forced to oblige, but nonetheless. She had been preparing herself.
"Hale Beauty" featured a few different and brand-new formulas of modern makeup and skincare that Cornelia had based on her friends and their different skin colors and types, undertones, and preferences. It was really a smart idea on her part that the investors and sponsors had liked. The makeup line was a big thing that the blonde was naturally very excited and nervous about. If everything went smoothly today, her very own makeup products would be distributed for sales both online as well as in stores handled by some very big national companies.
"Irma, you're enough to try the patience of a saint lately. More than ever. What is happening with you!?"- Taranee declared as she and the Latina made their way inside the modern parlor of the multi-millionaire residence that was rented for the launch. The parlor where most of the products were displayed connected the two parts of the beautiful gardens and the big parking lot. In the backside of the residence, one could see a huge pool and a beautiful view of the city from above.
Located in White Mountain, one of Heatherfield's elite neighborhoods, the villa residence that Cornelia had chosen for her event was perfect for the occasion - it was often used for many things like movie sets, private parties, and other company launches.
It was a bright and beautiful day out and that allowed the gardens to be greatly used for the "Hale Beauty" launch too, plus, the sun meant great pics.
"I don't know what you're talking about."- Irma crossed her arms on her chest and attempted to walk inside the building but Taranee caught her by the arm and kept her in her place.
"No, I think you do."- she insisted and smoothed her wavy shoulder-length hair which was currently styled in a modern side style. Then she turned around to make sure that they weren't in the way of the other arriving guests. "What is this actually about? You've been sour and grumpy for months and you're just complaining about everything, repeatedly."
"I don't know, Mrs. Ashcroft, it might have something to do with the fact we lost out friend six months ago. And we couldn't do anything for her since."- Irma defended and pulled free of her grip, pouting. "I can't move on as fast as all of you. I can't get over the fact she's gone..."
"It's definitely not just that."- Taranee shook her head. "Will's disappearance is hard on all of us, I agree, we're probably never going to stomach it completely but we can't just fall down and die, Irma, and you know that. It's not just her disappearance that's bothering you, you can finally tell me so that I can help you deal with it and that we can focus on supporting our friend and her event-"
"What are you, her manager?"- Irma cut her off. "Gee, I'm sorry I opened my mouth, Taranee, I'm just bugged by the fact that this event is happening a week after Matt was shot and fell into a freaking coma. But hey, let's sell some makeup. We're not doing enough, that's what's bothering me!"- she cried. "We're not even doing enough for Matt!"
"We're doing everything we can for him!"- the other woman objected. "We talked to him, we were there for him as he pushed us away and we never gave up, we took him to therapy, we- "
"Oh, please."- Irma snorted, detesting. "If we had really done something significant, he would be here right now. Among us. And he's not."
And with that, Irma threw her curls to the side and walked away from Taranee who just stood there with an open mouth, not knowing how to respond. She sighed when Hay Lin who had just gone through security came behind her in a long pink dress.
"I heard you guys from the parking lot."- the young woman said. "Do you think that we'll pull through today without a fight breaking out? Irma and Cornelia are just..."
"I hope, Hay Lin."- the dark-skinned woman replied without waiting for the end of her sentence. She was very well aware of the moods in their friend group either way. Cornelia's leadership and Irma's rebelling had been clashing for months. "Let's go to our seats and try to calm Irma down before the media comes and everything becomes monitored."
"We have to get our makeup done backstage too. "- Hay Lin agreed. "We're some of the faces of this brand..."
"Where is that obtuse girl!"
Backstage, where the models and all the hosts and help were getting ready before the start of the launch, Vera Hale, the eldest and most prominent Socialite of the Hale family was fuming. She just paced around in her magenta and white custom-ordered Versace and tried her granddaughter again and again but in vain. Lillian wasn't picking up. And this meant only one thing:
"She bailed on her own sister's event! She will be sorry for this. Has anyone seen her or talked to her today?!"
"Call her boyfriend and ask him. Perhaps they're together."- Nerissa retorted absently as the makeup artist finished her eyes and she checked the results in the big mirror. Apparently, it wasn't good enough, because she took the brush from the artist to finish the job on her own:
"I called Christopher, I even personally invited him and his family! Only Anna is here! He's unavailable as well!"- Vera spat, stressing out the staff that walked by her by throwing her phone across the room. By some mad chance, it actually landed on a sofa. "Why did she think it was a good idea to show up here without her son is as bepuzzling as her choice of outfit!"
Irma, who was a few chairs away, getting her makeup done as well, flared at the old broad's comment for her mother and was about to snap at her when Taranee turned out to be faster:
"The color theme of the launch is white and pink. I saw Mrs. Lair, she chose the right hues."- she pointed out, giving Irma a sign to remain calm. "Maybe Lillian can skip out on this one? If she's late, I don't think we can wait for her, plus, maybe Cornelia herself can be the model whose makeup will be done on the stage instead- "
"The colors indeed, not the quality. Keep your suggestions, sharp, Ms. Cook!"- Vera barked. "If you can't, then to yourself! Cornelia is the creator of this cosmetics line, how could she ever be seen with a bare face in front of the cameras on the day of her launch! That would be disgraceful!"
"Aww, why, she's young, it's not like we're trying to show your bare face for the cameras to jar."- Irma retorted bluntly and stood up from her seat. "Fuck this shit, I'm done."
"Irma-"
"I'm going to start taking pics and videos for IG."- the Latina reassured her friends and walked out of the room.
Vera was too immersed in her own drama to be bothered by Irma's blunt reply. She just kept pacing around as one poor hairstylist tried to spray her curled red bob.
"We had a deal; she signed a contract! Lillian is supposed to be Heatherfield's own IT girl since she refused to study in a prestigious college! She is so stubborn and foolish!"
"Worry not, Vera. An IT girl is already here to grace your granddaughter's event brilliantly."- Nerissa purred as she admired her reflection in the mirrors, making Taranee roll her eyes.
The event went on almost effortlessly, despite Vera's rage that evaporated the minute she saw a camera. She, the Hales, and Nerissa were more than happy to be in the limelight and do their part. Harold who was in charge of his daughter's financial and business plan watched gladly as his wife talked to the guests with a smile. Then Nerissa entertained with her performance.
"We're a great team, Mrs. A great team!"- Harold boasted after that, shaking her hand.
Cornelia was a nervous wreck but somehow managed to put on a brave face and go through with everything that was needed for a successful launch of her brand. Press interviews, talks with sponsors, buyers, and the additional influencers. Of course, her friends (mainly Irma with her radio, podcast, and big numbers on social media, as well as Hay Lin and her fashion blog) would use their platforms to promote her for free but she needed outside influence as well.
"God, I thought today would never end."- Cornelia groaned as she slumped down in a booth in the Silver Dragon, two hours post the end of the event.
"But you rocked it. I'm so proud of you."- Caleb mused and wrapped an arm around her shoulder.
Killian, their toddler son agreed by exclaiming something and tugging on the ends of his mother's formal gown.
"That is very true, Cornelia, which is why this calls for a celebration."- Yan Lin announced as she served more food on their table.
Hay Lin, Irma, Taranee, Nigel, and Julian all groaned as they were already full; but the old lady was unstoppable. She kept bringing new dishes out of the kitchen as if it was a bottomless pit...
Yan Lin smiled amusedly and tucked her hands inside the sleeves of her blue kimono.
"Or perhaps a toast instead."- she added and looked behind her shoulder: "Eric? Shall we open that bottle?"
Eric who followed her smiled his pearl-whites and opened the sparkling wine at once, getting it all over the table and inside the glasses that the woman had brought on a big tray.
"We shouldn't drink too much now."- Taranee interfered once everyone had taken a glass. "We still have the celebratory reception of the Hales to attend tonight."
"Ugh."- Cornelia sighed tiredly. "How I wish that we didn't. Honestly, right now, I just want to sleep a few days."
"I couldn't agree more."- Irma said, drowning her glass in an instant. "I don't feel another celebratory event today. Let's bail on it."
"You know that we can't, Irma."- Taranee began, eyeing her pointedly. "We promised the Hales and Cornelia needs our support- "
"She said she wishes she didn't have to go herself."- the Latina interrupted, irritated. She was over the Fire guardian's lectures for the day. "Besides."- she added dryly. "It was just an idea."
"You don't have to attend the entire thing. Just come for an hour or something. I, on the other hand."- Cornelia pursed her lips. "All this brand launching is really exhausting me."
"Oh, boo-hoo. Drop the whining and be inspiring."
It was Nerissa. She had just entered the Dragon, freshly changed her look of the day. Now she wore a scandalously short, beige bodycon dress with a deep heart-shaped cleavage that accented on all of her assets, and a pair of golden pumps.
"Think of this as the last nail in the coffin. Your sister's growing popularity will no longer cast shadows over your image and her career will be indebted to you. You will be the Kim to her Kylie!"- Nerissa commented ardently and it was almost surreal. Usually, when she was being this fervent, she was talking about Meridian, leading armies, fighting in wars, and achieving greater good or crazy good, depending on what point of her life one caught her in, but now she was just talking... Socialite stuff.
"Isn't Kylie like...richer than Kim, anyway?"- Nigel, who was the only one still eating from Yan Lin's feast, intervened.
"Well, yes, she is, but who has created the whole family apart from their mother."- the tall brunette waved her hand in disregard.
"A sex tape."- Caleb muttered. "Cornelia's not doing that, not without me- "
"Caleb!"
"That doesn't matter. What matters is that Cornelia should get it together and attend tonight's party in a dignifying fashion."- Nerissa went on, unabashed, shocking Taranee with her almost inexistent ties to decency for the umpteenth time.
"After that, she'll be a household name for Heatherfield, once and for all."
Cornelia could only stare at the older woman. Those were all things she had once wanted. She still wanted them from time to time. A good income, fame, beauty... But why was all this suddenly so...so far away from her heart. Why didn't she revel in it as it was finally happening?
"OK, cool and all, but Heatherfield's not exactly LA."- Irma snorted. "It's not like she's getting her own star on the walk of fame, calm your tits, Rissy. Literally..."
"Who needs LA, an overpraised piece of land full of silly starlets and wannabes, when this city has everything to offer. Opportunities, connections, magic..."- Nerissa finished dramatically and smiled. "Cornelia is still a guardian and a holder of the Heart of Kandrakar. She needs to have some privacy and time on her hands despite being popular- "
Now no one knew what else to reply. Irma's face hardened even more. Taranee looked down with a sigh and Hay Lin's eyes almost glistened. Yes. Cornelia was technically the keeper of the Heart now that Will...
"Yap, yap, yap."- Yan Lin interrupted, basically cutting through the tension in the air with her light-hearted voice. "Nerissa's high school dream was to achieve fame and glitz as an artist and she's getting carried away now that she is doing it, after so many years. Ain't I right, Nerissa?"
"Well, I-"
Nerissa raised a long arched brow as her friend gently moved her towards the table and tossed Killian with love, right into her arms.
"Let's do something. You can stay here with me and your grandboy. Give the kids some alone time and time to rest. There are hours until that reception you all have to go to, anyway. I have some bomb new teas you'll like."- the former guardian finished amicably, giving the group a wink.
Nerissa smirked, holding Killian's little hands in hers.
"Well."- she said again. "Only because I love you so."
That same night, a few hours after midnight, when the Hales' reception was over and everyone started to head out, Taranee saw herself compelled to get a very drunk Irma home. It was mandatory - the Latina couldn't keep herself standing without someone's help. She had really drank too much this time.
"I don't understand what's happening with her."- Taranee said to her two friends who joined them in the taxi. "I told her to stop drinking the first time she started staggering and yet she did this. She got dead drunk."
"What are you talking about, Irma is known for partying hardcore. Plus, all the stress and all that. It was inevitable, I saw it coming the moment we arrived here tonight and saw how she looked at the bar."- Cornelia disregarding it but the fire guardian wasn't convinced. She just looked at their friend's closed eyes.
Just like water, Irma tended to be different beneath the surface. Often stormier and much deeper than one could imagine.
With Cornelia putting on her seatbelt after making sure that everything at the venue was taken care of, the taxi took off, heading for Martin Tubbs's apartment. Irma was living with him for quite some time now, so her friends planned on leaving her there.
"Guys, I can't find keys in here."- Hay Lin announced after going through the contents of Irma's small silver purse.
"Does she have any pockets?"
"Nope."
"She probably forgot her keys, you know how she's an airhead."- Cornelia disregarded again but Hay Lin just tsked:
"There are no keys here and Martin is out of town. Though there is this white magnetic card..."- she furrowed her brows. "What are the chances they changed up their entire security system and just said no to keys?"
"I think this is a hotel room card, Hay Lin."- Taranee said, looking at the plastic as another red flag.
"Why would Irma stay at a hotel? This is Heatherfield, she- "
"And how are we supposed to know which hotel."- Cornelia interrupted from the front seat. "Isn't there a card wrapper with the name of the hotel somewhere in her purse?"
"Umm...no. Just gum and...condoms."
"Typical, she lost it. Ugh, what's with this girl, really."- the blonde exclaimed, turning towards her friends. "Maybe there is something we don't know, after all. Didn't she tell any of you anything?"
Taranee didn't react while Hay Lin shook her head. She just stared at Irma, who was snoring at this point, and then gave her own address to the driver instead.
"Rise and shine, Irma."
Irma groaned and covered her eyes with her arms in a desperate attempt to block the sun her friend had just let into the guest bedroom.
Taranee stoically endured her complaints and protests and managed to make her sit in the bed despite her major reluctance.
"Here."- she added, giving her a cup once Irma finally opened her eyes. "This coffee is very strong; it will help with the hangover."
"Thanks. Although I believe some more hours of sleep would have helped more."- the Latina groaned again and took a sip.
She quickly registered she was at Taranee and Nigel's by the neat interior of the guest room and the fact that the hostess was standing in front of the bed, looking at her sternly and expectantly.
"Fine, your house, your rules, I get it."- she murmured almost timidly looking down at the big T-shirt she had been changed into. "This will do as a cute outfit for me to get back home in. I'll wash it and give it back later- "
"Irma."- Taranee interrupted her, stopping her from standing up. "I already asked you at Cornelia's launch, but this time I will not let it slide. What's going on with you? Be honest with me."
"OK, I got carried away and got wasted, what's the big deal!"- Irma defended herself and pushed her hand away, standing up on her feet despite the immediate increase of the pounding in her head. "Thanks for taking me here and having my back but we've been friends forever, Taranee, I don't think I owe you a full report on my life each time you do a friend thing. Thank you, but this is not your favorite therapy."
"Why are you staying at a hotel?"- Taranee fired, making her stop dead in her tracks. "If there's any problem between you and Martin, you have your parents' home, you have friends, you have so many options, Irma, why would you rather-"
"Taranee!"- Irma yelled, her raging emotions causing the sky outside to suddenly start pouring for a moment. "Don't you see how you're doing it, again?! You're meddling, invading people's personal lives and then you say my way of offering help is overbearing?"
Taranee blinked at her, almost shocked:
"Irma, we lost Will, we couldn't help her, then Matt headed for the deep ends. Not being able to help someone else, especially from our group, is making me lose it, don't you understand that? I just want the best for you!"
"I don't need help! I'm perfectly fine!"- Irma snapped and finished her coffee in a swift breath. Then she put on her high-heeled slippers from the previous night, carefully placed next to the bed by Taranee, and grabbed her purse from the nightstand. "Next time you feel like I need help, ask me. And respect my answer from the first time, please, that's the best you can do for me right now!"
She was furious but before she could storm away, Taranee got a message on her phone that made her let out a loud exclamation:
"My God..."
"What?"- Irma turned around once again, estimating her with a look. She didn't like what she was seeing one bit. All the other woman could do was stare at the screen of her phone in shock for a while before Irma came closer and shook her up by the shoulders:
"TARANEE!"- she demanded, as worry began to grow inside her. "What's happening, tell me! Or let me see- "
"It's a m-message."- Taranee mumbled, absolutely floored. "From Will..."
"What!?"
Irma just gawked but then quickly pulled a face:
"You mean Wixy, that fucking impostor?"- she stressed. "What does she want, anyway, anything else of Will's- "
"No, Irma!"- Taranee snapped and shoved the smartphone in her hands. "Will's Altermeere doesn't have her old phone number; Will's phone was on her when she vanished. And she just texted me. From it. She's...in Heatherfield."
The Water guardian looked down at the message in disbelief. It said:
"Hey, T.
I know you're probably freaking out rn. I'm in Heatherfield. I have some errands to run, meet me in Matt's hospital room at 6PM. Bring the other girls too.
Love, W."
Utterly shocked. Floored. Relieved? Angry...
The four young women that had gathered inside the small modern hospital room felt emotions of so many different natures. All day long. A day that seemed to go on as slowly as never before. It was so hard and painful, so nerve-racking to just sit in the wait of this surreal motherfucking day, drenched in defeating emotions, drowning in questions and feelings...
After months of uncertainty and growing despair, springing this on them just like that was... cruel. Strange. Very unlike her. But she was alive. She was back in Heatherfield and she owed them an explanation. She had to explain and even if she did, Cornelia Hale was sure of one thing. It would never be enough to make up for everything they had lived through.
"Six months we search for her, fruitlessly. Everywhere, we fear for her life, we suffer because of her absence. We literally change our lives because of her, trying to fill in, to spare her family the anguish we feel, trying to close an impossible wound!"- Cornelia started narrating the same things again, for the thousandth time that day. "Such a low, disgraceful...unforgivable betrayal and for what!? We are guardians. We deal with shit. But she did this to her family too. She did this to Matt, just look at him! Look at what she did to him!"- the blonde screamed, pointing at the man on the hospital bed with angry tears. "And what do we get after six months?"- she turned to her friends again, shaking. "A text. A motherfucking text! Who sends texts like that anymore!? Who the fuck does Wilhelmina Vandom think she is?!"
"I don't... I don't believe that our Will would do any of this- "
"No, Hay Lin, this is her number! This is her number that she texted Taranee from! And you can all feel it. Her energy. Her presence, back in this city after half a year."- Cornelia snarled through tears. "The Heart of Kandrakar sure felt. I felt it. For the second time after it came to me six months ago. The first time we lost time on Arkhanta and she was gone again. She wanted to be gone. Now she is back. And it's the real her. That's incontestable."
"Yet she says she...has errands to run and makes us wait the entire day."- Taranee whispered in disbelief. She was still in shock more than anyone else. Hay Lin was in denial, Cornelia was raging and Irma was just rampaging around, going between being mad and elated in a way... But Taranee? She just couldn't wrap her head around any of it.
"Errands..."- Hay Lin shook her head, dismal but hopeful.
That's one way to say you have a giant mess to sort out... Hopefully now, when Will was back, things would slowly get back to how they used to be. She hoped they would. Oh, how wrong she would turn out to have been in actuality...
"What could ever drive Will to do all this and not tell anyone?"- Irma took the word again. "To just... disappear on everyone and everything, why!? And why come back now if she just wanted to put us behind her back for some reason? This doesn't make sense, calm down, Cornelia, she is going to explain when she comes- "
"No, I will not calm down!"- the blonde raged, pushing Irma back in her seat. "I will not calm down! You can't just do such a terrible thing to people you claim you love! You can't do it, a person who does that is a monster!"
"Will you stop it!"- Irma exclaimed and stood up again, pushing Cornelia in her turn. "Give a girl a chance to defend herself before you burn her at the stake, Cornelia Jenner. She has to have a reasonable explanation, I'm sure she does! Just shut up and wait. And don't tell mommy dearest before we've spoken to her!"
Cornelia glared at her but didn't say anything more. She just grabbed her purse:
"Where are you- "
"I'm going to get more coffee. Or a burger."- she huffed. "Or both, actually, I think I may kill Irma if I wait here without a hard distraction."
"Go get dicked and relax!"- Irma yelled after her. "That's the hard thing you really need."
Cornelia was about to give her a proper response to that when Taranee just started crying. With literal tears:
"How did she know about Matt being in a hospital and how...does she keep an eye on us from afar, I just want to understand!"- she curled into a ball. "I just want to understand her..."
"Girls..."- Hay Lin suddenly stood up and listened in tension. "I think that..."
She didn't need to finish. After Taranee was up on her feet as well, and the black-greenish lights of a sudden teletransportation spell inside the hospital room died down, she stood before them. Of flesh and blood. In her pale red tracksuit...
"Will Vandom. I don't believe it."
Lillian had entered the room just when the redhead had appeared and now the four guardians gathered around the small sitting area could only look between the two of them, at a complete loss.
"Hi, Lillian. Girls."- Will spoke almost casually. "How are you?"
"You better not make me look stupid, babe."- Irma warned.
"How are we?"- Hay Lin repeated, outraged. "Will...how do you think we are after what you did? Why did you-"
Will ignored her. Instead of replying or engaging with them in any other way, she turned to the comatosed man on the bed and put a hand on his face. It was like a fever dream, her friends watched everything without understanding. Without being able to do anything to get answers and end this craziness.
"What do you think you're doing?"- the Earth guardian tightened her fists when Matt started to breathe harder.
"She's helping him. I asked her to..."
"You talked to her?!"
Cornelia turned to her sister like the wind and pinned her down with a dangerous glare:
"You talked to Wilhelmina before us? When? Why didn't you tell me anything?"- her austere blue eyes widened. "Where were you yesterday?"
"Matt had dreams of Wilhelmina for months. He could feel she was somewhere, living without him but he c-couldn't understand why, and that aggravated his condition even more."- Lillian began in a tiny voice as tears rolled from her big, heavily done with black and blue eyeshadow eyes. Her sister's grip around her arm softened a little. "I tried to alleviate him many times but when nothing helped him wake up from the coma I...I used all my powers to contact her instead of trying to chase the images of her away. I begged her to come back just to help Matt, I didn't understand why or how, Cornelia, but my powers managed to meet me with her in a dream sequence..."
"When."- Cornelia demanded.
"Two nights ago...I didn't tell you because she asked me not to. She said she wouldn't do it if I didn't respect her c-conditions."- Lillian stammered and that was the last straw.
A frenzied Cornelia turned towards Matt's bed, where the redhead was using her magical aura to help. Emotional magic, one of the strongest types of magic, to trigger his awakening. And it seemed to be working. There was a bright pale light coming from Will's hands as she established this connection with the man and not too long after she had started, his eyes flickered open for the first time in a week. Everyone gasped but their relief was short-lived. Will slid her hand over his eyes and put Matt back to sleep just as easily as she had woken him.
"Why did you do that?!"- Irma yelled in shock.
"Will..."- Taranee shook her head in disbelief and distress but Will remained calm:
"He's out of the coma now. His coma was an emotional state that was blocking all the healing magic you've been putting into him. Some emotional magic fixed it. This was just an ordinary sleeping spell I just used last; he will wake up on his own later."- she explained as if she was explaining a cake recipe for them. "I didn't want him to ask questions now. Trust me, it's better off this way. I don't want to hurt him even more-"
The hard slap from Cornelia caught her off guard and she tripped, falling back. She tried to keep her balance by grabbing a hold of a curtain but it just broke free and fell down with her.
Will looked up at the taller woman, floored. Literally.
Cornelia was breathing hard:
"It's too late for that."- she breathed angrily. "You've hurt him and us incurably. And now that you've done your fair share of a "favor", feel free to go back to wherever you came from and leave us alone. We don't need you anymore."
"I will, Cornelia."- Will stood up again, dusting herself off. "I'm leaving tonight. I only came back on your sister's request. There's no need to get physical."
"Shut the fuck up and hit the road."- Cornelia hissed. "Traitor. Psycho traitor. Go back to your new life you chose to have without us, won't you?! I actually can't believe you. You don't even look like you give a damn!"
The Quintessence guardian just looked away and dropped it. It wasn't going to do anything for anyone if she got into this fight.
"Wait a fucking moment there. Don't we get an explanation of some sorts!?"- Irma exclaimed indignantly. "What happened to you, Will? Why did you abandon us without saying anything?"
Will didn't reply again and that perplexed and enraged them even more. No, this wasn't OK. This wasn't normal. This wasn't like Will at all.
"Will, this is not happening."- Taranee declared and stood in her way. "You're not going anywhere before we talk. You have to let us know what happened!"
But the redhead just teletransported out of the hospital before saying anything else.
"I don't believe this is real."- Hay Lin said again and just exchanged glances with the others. "This is..."
"This is your fault, Cornelia!"- Irma attacked the blonde. "Why did you have to lash out at her like that before she has even said anything? Maybe, just maybe she would've given us some explanation if you hadn't manhandled her!"
"You think that if she had a reasonable thing to say she'd keep it to herself just because?"- Cornelia barked in response. "Didn't you see her, Irma, weren't you paying attention!? She came here and faced us with guilt and apathy. She doesn't care. And nor do I anymore. I don't care for what she has to say."
"So, you are trying to tell us she just left and abandoned everything for no reason? You're insane. I'm going after her. Come on, Tara. Hay Lin. You're coming with me. Now!"
The two guardians seemed to hesitate for a moment but eventually followed Irma out of the room. Cornelia didn't even bother trying to stop them. She crossed her arms on her chest and started into the non-existing distance inside the room.
"Nelia, don't...don't let this break you."- Lillian sobbed a minute later. "I know it's hard. I know it's terrifying but we managed without her all these months... we will manage the future too. Together."
Cornelia gave her sister a faint smile and pulled her into a tight hug.
"We will, Lil. I hope that we will..."
Later that night, Will Vandom was getting ready to leave Heatherfield and its narrative once again. She was ready to cross to a parallel realm she had spent the last months in. She couldn't stay here. Too many things had changed. Too many things weren't up to her anymore.
After successfully ditching Irma, Taranee, and Hay Lin, she had taken some stuff from her old apartment while her Altermeere was out and was ready to disappear. Again.
The cool April night wind blew her hair back as she took the glamour off of her clothes and the red tracksuit turned into a long royal red dress. Wrapping her hand around the straps of the bag she was carrying, Will sighed and took the last turn. She was in one old neighborhood, where most of the houses were empty. But the big yellow portal she had left open here earlier, hidden in the backyard of one old, abandoned house, with overgrown jungle-like vegetation, was not here anymore.
"What the...oh, great. Just great."- Will groaned. Perfect. Now she had to use her last bean and waste it in order to get back. Magic beans were rare magic plants cultivated with fairy magic that gave one the ability to open portals and passageways between dimensions and even cross to parallel realms and create alternate branches of time, depending on the powers of the person using them.
But as she went through the contents of her pockets, again and again, she soon realized that the magic bean wasn't, in fact, in her anymore...
"Looking for this, little spark?"
That patronizing voice... she couldn't mistake it. Cursing in her mind, Will turned around to face Nerissa, who stood a few feet away, graciously, in yet another one of her smiting short dresses. She smiled and looked more like a glamorous Hollywood star than the powerful dangerous Mage she was in actuality. But looks can be deceiving, she knew that better than anyone...
Will almost gulped. She was caught in the worst possible moment by the worst possible person but the thing she saw sparkling with magic in her hands was what shook her the most. Her magic bean. Between Nerissa's claws:
"Give me that back! I need it!"- she breathed desperately. "Give it back, Nerissa! I need it!
They weren't claws, her nails were perfectly manicured, sharp, and painted white, but they didn't hesitate to squash the bean into nothingness in a matter of seconds.
"You're not going anywhere, my darling. Especially not back to Beta-Meridian.*"
Trivia:
Beta-Meridian* - a parallel version of Meridian first introduced in "The Dark Descendant", previously ruled over by one of Phobos's former concubines and then by their daughter Avani.